Cycle Safari Kenya

Bike

Experience this exhilarating cycling tour from Nairobi to the Mount Kenya region – an area of mountain peaks, farmlands, indigenous forests, and an African savanna rich in wildlife. Ride through game conservancies found within the savannah that offer the very best chance to see all the 'big 5' animals.

Fri 04 Oct - Sun 13 Oct 2019

In aid of Red Rubber Ball Foundation

Your challenge day by day

Day 1, Fri 04 Oct 2019

International departure from London

All your hard work and training is about to pay off, it’s time to depart for Kenya. Say farewell to friends and family, you’re off on the adventure of a lifetime. You’ll meet the rest of your team at the airport, before departing London for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.

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Day 2, Sat 05 Oct 2019

Arrive Nairobi; transfer to hotel

On arrival in Nairobi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. There will be plenty of time to freshen up before a team meeting and your bike fitting.

Accommodation: Hotel

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Day 3, Sun 06 Oct 2019

Prologue trip with cycle project; transfer to Thika

Today you will have the opportunity to ride with children from your cycling project around Kari, just outside Nairobi. In the late afternoon, you will transfer to Thika for your overnight stay and get ready for the start of your challenge.

Accommodation: Hotel

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Day 4, Mon 07 Oct 2019

Thika to Castle Forest Lodge (approximately 98 km)

It’s time for the challenge to begin! After breakfast, you will mount your bike and ride past Kenya’s largest pineapple plantation. The ride is mostly downhill until the Sagana river bridge (1200m) where the terrain changes and starts to rise gradually with undulating hills as you approach Mount Kenya forest (2166m).
Your ride passes through rich agricultural areas growing a range of tropical fruits & vegetables. The cooler Mount Kenya region also allows coffee and tea plantations to flourish.
Tonight’s lodge is located within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mount Kenya National Park. You’ll have the chance to spot elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, monkeys and over 175 species of birds.

Accommodation: Lodge

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Day 5, Tue 08 Oct 2019

Castle Forest Lodge to Bantu Mountain Lodge (approximately 94km)

Your route today skirts the edge of Mount Kenya forest. You’ll ride through an area rich in tea plantations, intertwined with settlements and market centres towards Karatina University. As the road gradually enters open terrain at Chaka, there are splendid views of Aberdare’s Mountain Ranges on our left and Mount Kenya on the right.
This afternoon’s terrain is dominated by large cattle ranches, with very few villages or towns, but further on you re-enter the Mount Kenya forest.

Accommodation: Lodge

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Day 6, Wed 09 Oct 2019

Your day starts with a short ride to the Equator line, where you’ll have the chance to be in two hemispheres at once. Then you head due west towards Sweetwaters, located in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. This is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, and home to the two last remaining northern white rhinos. It is one of the best and easiest locations to spot all the 'big 5' (elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards and buffalo) in the shortest time span.
This is also the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. The sanctuary was established to rehabilitate animals rescued from the black markets of West Africa.
Today’s shorter ride of 25km will allow plenty of time in the afternoon for a safari through the conservancy. You’ll spend the night at a special camp inside the conservancy.

Accommodation: Camp

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Day 7, Thu 10 Oct 2019

Ol Pejeta to Ngare Ndare forest (approximately 72km)

Ride through the fascinating and famed conservancy this morning before passing through settlements, small-scale farms and wheat plantations to the Ngare Ndare forest reserve.
Ngare Ndare reserve is a lush forest at the foothills of Mt. Kenya, and among one of the few indigenous forests in Kenya with an expanding canopy cover. Azure pools glisten at the bottom of waterfalls and 200-year-old trees stretch into the canopy supporting a rich variety of bird and animal life. The forest is a vital elephant corridor that links the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Mount Kenya. In the late afternoon, you will enjoy a canopy walk near your campsite.

Accommodation: Camp

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Day 8, Fri 11 Oct 2019

Ngare Ndare to Meru (approximately 70km)

After breakfast, you cycle through Ngare Ndare forest, going past Ngare Ndare settlement to Lewa Conservancy. Lewa is the heart of wildlife conservation, sustainable development and responsible tourism in northern Kenya and is one of the last remaining sanctuaries for endangered black and white rhinos.
There is a high possibility of spotting endangered rhinos, giraffes and other savannah wildlife. You will exit the conservancy and ride through settlements and farms before finishing on the outskirts of Meru town.

Accommodation: Hotel

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Day 9, Sat 12 Oct 2019

Transfer to Nairobi; flight back to London

Today is there may be an opportunity to explore bustling Nairobi before taking your flight to London. Take time today to sit back and reflect on your Kenyan experience and swap contact details with new-found friends and cycling partners.
(Please note, lunch and dinner are not included today.)

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Day 10, Sun 13 Oct 2019

Arrive home

After your flight back to London, you can head home to share your memories with friends and family.

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Important information

N.B. The itinerary is there as a guide and may change due to unusual weather patterns, wildlife movements, the strength of the group, and so on. We will do our very best to keep to the set itinerary; however, we cannot be held responsible for any last minute changes that might occur. In all such circumstances, your expedition leader will have the final say.

We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6546. Many of the flight-inclusive challenges on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. This ATOL protection only covers challenges that include flights booked by Charity Challenge and that originate in the UK. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate